Zimbabwes dream of making a third appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations at the 2012 edition of the showpiece co-hosted by Gabon and Equatorial Guinea lies in the hands of the countrys football mother board, ZIFA. (Pictured: Zimbabwes match against Cape Verde)
The Association will need to sort out the issues of who will take up the post of the national team head coach in time to give the appointed mentor ample time to prepare for the Warriors next assignment next March. Zimbabwe plays Mali, away from home during the weekend of 25-27 March.
Norman Mapeza who together with Black Mambas head coach, Madinda Ndlovu, took charge of the Warriors assignment against Cape Verde Islands at the absence of deported Tom Saintfiet, last Sunday, admitted his team was in trouble after the barren draw that awarded them just a point at home.
A draw at home is not good at all, we needed to utilise home-ground advantage and score with every chance we created. But it was unfortunate we didnt manage to score and this is bad for us, said Mapeza.
Zimbabwe participated in back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations tournaments in Tunisia 2004 and Egypt 2006, their only AFCON appearances to date. On both occasions the Warriors were eliminated in the group phase of the competition.
The country has never struggled to produce talented players, with a large number of them featuring strongly in South Africas domestic league. But the Warriors have struggled to appear regularly at the continental showdown.
Post published in: Zimbabwe Sports News